Valley Metro readies next LRT groundbreaking

The city of Phoenix and Valley Metro said Monday they will host an official groundbreaking this Saturday, Jan. 12, for the 3.2-mile Northwest extension. The ceremony will occur at the southwest corner of 19th Avenue and West Dunlap Avenue, in Phoenix, beginning at 11:00 a.m.

"Expansion of light rail is now occurring on both ends of the system, with Central Mesa Extension's construction under way since July 2012, Valley Metro said. Valley Metro's initial LRT line is roughly 20 miles in length, linking Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa, Ariz.

"This is an exciting time for all transit riders as we expand further into Phoenix, providing our customers with greater transit choice," said Valley Metro CEO Steve Banta. "It is another important step towards building a multimodal Total Transit Network that supports regional growth."

"As mayor of the City of Phoenix and Chairman of the METRO board, I welcome the community to participate in the groundbreaking ceremony which marks the start of the Northwest Extension construction project, adding three miles of light rail in our city," said city of Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton.